In preparation for the upcoming presidential election in November, Ohio has initiated an audit of registered voters and removed hundreds of noncitizens from its voting rolls. This move ensures that only eligible citizens have the right to vote in the state.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has recently issued a directive to county boards of elections to eliminate 499 noncitizen registrations from the state’s voter rolls. This move comes as a measure to ensure the integrity and accuracy of Ohio’s voter registration system.
In a recent press release, LaRose emphasized his commitment to upholding the Ohio state constitution which strictly allows only US citizens to vote in the state’s elections. He stated that it is his duty to ensure that individuals who have not yet obtained citizenship do not participate in the voting process. LaRose added that once they become citizens, he would gladly welcome them to the franchise, but until then, it is imperative to remove any ineligible registrations to prevent any illegal voting.
As the general election on Nov. 5 approaches, Ohio is currently in the midst of conducting a thorough audit of its statewide voter registration database. The audit is being conducted in multiple phases to ensure a comprehensive review.
Earlier this week, LaRose issued a directive in response to a review initiated by the Secretary of State’s Public Integrity Division and Office of Data Analytics and Archives in May. The review was conducted to ensure compliance with Ohio’s constitutional citizenship requirement. LaRose’s investigation led to the discovery and removal of 137 illegal immigrants from the voter rolls.
LaRose reported that Ohio has eliminated almost 155,000 registrations that were determined to be abandoned and inactive for four consecutive years.
During this election cycle, the GOP has been emphasizing the potential impact of noncitizen voting on the integrity of U.S. elections.
Republican Senator J.D. Vance from Ohio is among the group of Republicans, which includes House Speaker Mike Johnson from Louisiana, who advocate for the implementation of a federal ban on noncitizen voting.
Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY) and other Democrats are of the opinion that the proposed legislation could lead to the disenfranchisement of American citizens, including military personnel stationed overseas and married women who have changed their names.